


A Moon Could Never Shine As Bright As You

by yujaewin



Category: MXM (Band), Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Howl's Moving Castle Fusion, Angst, Fluff, Kang Daniel-centric, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-09 20:24:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12896058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yujaewin/pseuds/yujaewin
Summary: When a curse is placed on a person, they do not know the weight it can bear. In the Kingdom of Ingary, curses are everywhere, everywhere but Kang Daniel who's only curse is the one he utters every morning when he sees his cat has used his carpet as a toilet.He wishes for adventure and more importantly, a place to experience something beyond the normality he has become all to used to.(Prompt 255: Howl's Moving Castle AU)





	A Moon Could Never Shine As Bright As You

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for checking out this fic <3\. Just a few pointers, you don't have to have watched/read Howl's Moving Castle to understand the fic (I just suggest you look up a picture so you know what the castle looks like ^^). Also, some people are aged a bit differently, so for reference:
> 
> Daniel and Ong: 24  
> Youngmin and Donghyun: 22  
> Daehwi: 18  
> Minhyun: around 30
> 
> I hope you enjoy this fic, thanks a lot for reading >~<

When the sea gave way to the rolling of sand and earth, a man walked, alone and desperate. He would longingly stare into the clouds, wishing and praying that they would move to reveal a moon, shining and glistening upon the midnight blue of the sky. But no. He was sure that one day he would be graced by its beauty once more, however the world was cruel and nor the moon, nor the vast constellations would be making such a visitation without a price being paid.

 

It had been like this for many years, the wizard had been cursed on this very beach long ago, when he was just learning of his power. No one had expected for everything to go wrong. No one had seen the shadow unfurl from behind him, shifting and chasing the young boy's figure as if it were prey, a catch ready to kill. And no one, no one at all, could've predicted the ear piercing shriek as it left the boy's lips, rendering him paralysed with fear as he dropped to the sands, watching as the moon dissolved from view, never to return. Unless, of course, his curse was broken.

 

Seongwoo never forgot that night, unable to forgive himself for being so stupidly naive, a curse was a punishment and he had been handed it without reason. Someone hated him, loathed every shred of his being and Seongwoo simply knew, he had to find out why. The beach garnered no answers to his wandering thoughts and questions, but he had to try, or else he’d have no chance of breaking the spell. Who would’ve thought, that a moon could mean so much?

  
~~~

A morning within the realms of normality was one like every other for Kang Daniel, the son of a simple fishmonger. He lived in a thatched roofed cottage with a hearty fire providing plumes of smoke and a gentle glow throughout the harsh, cold days. The end of autumn was drawing near and for Daniel, this could only mean he had to wait by the letter box in fear, waiting for an envelope to dive through, his name inscribed on the front with golden ink, the colour of the royals. Porthaven was a town where no adventure occurred, excitement was something of an unknown, so why was Daniel so afraid of leaving?

 

The letter, as it would turn out, would arrive that very morning, the window panes frosting over and the boys breath catching in a mist as he scrambled to put the fire on. It wasn’t eventful, no commotion occurred, his cats didn’t even spare a glance in his direction.

 

_To Mr Kang Daniel,_

 

 _Now that you have turned the conscription age of 21, his Royal Highness has requested your presence amongst the 103rd Naval Battalion. This is a necessary placement and you must be available to sign into your position on the 20th of December. Please find all necessary information attached to the back of this letter._  
_  
_ Signed,

_Hwang Minhyun, Royal Military Advisor_

 

Daniel scanned through the rest of the notes, panic seeping into his brain, the 20th of December was a week away and he had no money to take the train. He would have to walk across the Waste, a land teeming with monsters and wizards, no one was safe there. But it would have to do, he’d survive and make it to the King’s palace, not that he ever wanted to go to such a prestigious place.

 

The packing was easier said than done, Daniel’s single backpack breaking as he stuffed every piece of clothing he owned inside, groaning and sighing wouldn’t fix the problem so instead he stumbled off to find some thread and a needle. It was around eleven when Jisung burst through the door, face red and fists balled. Oh dear, Daniel thought, as if his morning couldn’t get any worse.  
  
Jisung was an unusual character, as most people in the town were, but this certain man was uncharacteristically worried about Daniel at the most stupid of moments. Such as now for example. Any normal human being would shrug off the thought of Daniel going to the military but Jisung - the epitome of his parents rolled into one person - was deathly terrified.

 

“I raised you Daniel! If you think you’re going anywhere near the Waste and anywhere near that stupid castle, well the King can have my head.” He practically screamed, one of Daniel’s cats - Peter - mewling in surprise and leaving the room to find somewhere with less deafening noise.

 

“Jisung you can’t just stop me, the King will have both of our heads then! I’d rather be at sea than here wasting my life…” He mumbled the last part, knowing that Jisung would only protest even further. It was in his nature to do so.

 

“Fine, I see how it is Daniel. Us two have never been that much alike, and you're right. The world is a big place and some people just need to explore it. But, just be warned, this adventure of yours could either be the most exciting thing you've ever experienced, or the deadliest.”

 

And for once in his life, Daniel agrees with all that Jisung had said.

 

Grabbing his backpack, Daniel heads for the door, leading his feet - one foot in front of the other - towards the beaten tracks. He doesn’t realise that it has begun to rain until a drop lands directly on his nose, splattering and falling all around him with intensity. Nothing could’ve given away what the rain meant, _a simple act of mother nature_ , thought Daniel. But no, the timing was fateful, the droplets increasing in speed and amount like no other downpour until the poor boy thought he might drown and float away among the storm. He had to find shelter, somewhere beyond Porthaven, somewhere beyond his normality.

 

The miles seem to stretch out before him, blossoming trees becoming wilted and melancholy in the shower which seems to persist and flow without so much as a flicker of sun. The clouds were a hazy grey, echoing the sinister mood of the path which seemed intent on tripping Daniel up, confusing his sense of direction in the process. Why was no journey ever easy? Was Porthaven trying to drag him back, should he even have left at all?

 

It seemed like more than just a few simple hours for the rain to let up, but it did eventually and with it, Daniel’s harsh thoughts also left. No longer would he confine himself to just a town with his cats and Jisung, if he had longed for adventure, now it was being handed to him and he had to seize it.

 

Upon the early sunset, Daniel strolled into a small town named Market Chipping, it’s quaint buildings and fluorescent gardens a stark contrast to the dull hues of Porthaven. Grabbing onto his backpack, he fought between the small crowd who had gathered to buy the last bouquet of roses from a florist's window. The centre of the village was lively for the time of day, _probably because of the lack of dry weather before_ , Daniel noted as he stumbled across cobbles, fixing his creased shirt in the process. Unsure of his direction, Daniel could only rely on the faint whispers and clipping of sharp heels as he made his way to a destination one could only describe as suspicious. But the boy had no choice, he knew that to get through the Waste, without being seen or heard, he had to prepare.

 

He made his way into a back alley, the light draining as a rusted street sign crunched beneath his feet. No one had seen nor followed him here so Daniel carried on, his steps fast and calculated. It wasn’t until he heard the sounds of screeching laughter and tasted the herbs on his tongue that he knew he was in the right place - well, the law wouldn’t say it was right.

 

Black Markets had become commonplace in the kingdom, if you knew where to look. Jisung had often warned Daniel to stay away from them, speaking of dangerous men (and women) who would do anything to steal someone’s money, or food, or even pieces of clothing if they were daring enough. Even though the markets were prohibited, Daniel had found himself entranced, they were places of magic and mystery, wizards with flaws but also skills hiding together and selling their work.

 

Beyond the alley was a worn down set of stairs, leading behind the back of a bakery, the fumes of pastries thick in the air as Daniel descended. However, he only managed to get down ten steps before something barred him from going any further. A cat. It’s once, sleek ivory and midnight fur was a maze of colours under the sunset and it stretched out it’s paws on Daniel’s boot, dazed and forlorn. Since childhood, Daniel had looked after felines, making sure none of them would come to any harm and the same could be said for the cat in front of him. He picked up the small animal and took it with him, petting behind its ears to calm it and keep them from scratching Daniel. Once the stairs had stopped descending, Daniel had found himself in a corridor, lined with stalls and deep red glowing lanterns. But what sparked an excitement inside of the boy was the magic, he could feel it everywhere, so much so that it was almost overwhelming.

 

“Oh, I see you found Tolby.” A gruff, disinterested voice tore Daniel away from his imagination as someone motioned to the cat, currently nibbling at Daniel’s sleeve.

 

“He was just wandering around on the stairs, I couldn’t possibly leave him there.” Daniel sighed and took a better look at the person in front of him. He wore completely black clothes, a leather jacket with silver buttons being the only other colour. Passing over Tolby to his owners, Daniel swore he saw a flash of green in the man’s eyes, but he couldn’t be sure, the light in this place was bound to play tricks. Green was a cursed sign, a symbol that you had been robbed of something or someone.

 

“I’m Yongguk by the way, welcome to the black market of Market Chipping, enjoy your stay but be wary of the idiots in the far corner.” Yongguk rolled his eyes at the next howl of laughter and sudden crash of a chair, an older woman muttering beside Yongguk about how _they’d be long gone if it wasn’t for their profits._ Daniel found the prospect hilarious, his mother having said the same thing to many of her workers, not that Daniel needed to think about her, he didn’t want to be homesick.

 

He thanked Yongguk for his kindness and made his way down the path, looking in every stall. There were apothecaries, fortune tellers and travelling wizards from other far away kingdoms, none of which Daniel was looking for. He sighed in defeat until he remembered the final stall of which Yongguk had warned him about, what harm could some rowdy magicians do anyway?

 

Their names were Kenta and Eunki, the ‘Divine Potion Masters of the Future’ - at least that’s what the banner said anyway. Neither of them appeared to be present out front and Daniel took this as an opportunity to scour over their vials of potions and mixtures, peering at each label in great detail. Just as he was about to leave, a head popped up from underneath the table, a mop of dark blonde hair and wide eyes being the only features visible.

 

“Hey! I’m Kenta, it’s so nice to meet you, no one ever ventures to our stall if Yongguk told them not to. He’s so grumpy all the time you should never-”  
  
“Kenta stop rambling and let me do this.” The other boy, obviously Eunki, was much taller in comparison and extended his hand, Daniel shaking it lightly. The two of them stared at Daniel intently, as if reading into his very soul and he shuddered at the thought, the boy quite liking his privacy.

 

“So, what can we help you with today, Kang Daniel.” Kenta raised his eyebrow and a coy smirk played on his lips as the boy in front of him gasped in shock. The mind reading trick worked every time. It couldn’t do much, only names, birthdays and short family histories but it was enough to keep an audience captivated and also slightly petrified.

 

“Well, I was hoping you would have some invisibility potion, I’m trying to make my way through the Waste without being seen.” Daniel was still breathless, wanting to know how exactly Kenta could’ve read his mind. But as with all magical abilities, he knew that pressing for an answer normally never helped. Kenta and Eunki exchanged a look, the taller drumming his fingers on the table before his eyes lit up all too clearly.

 

“Yes we do have an invisibility potion but there are some… Complications. You see, we’re romanticist wizards,” Daniel groaned, _oh great, here we go with all the love and sappy emotions._ “So our potion contains an ingredient which means that you appear invisible to everyone but your soulmate.” At this, Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, the situation not as bad as he first perceived. In the kingdom, soulmates were not your betrothed or true love, although the possibility was there. But in spirit, they were simply the one you connected with the most and because Daniel was pretty sure he’d never meet his, he decided to buy the potion, praying that it would work.

 

“That will be one silver please.” Eunki smiled innocently, as if one silver was but a mere copper instead and Daniel rolled his eyes. Of course, even as black markets, there was always a drive for profit and wealth. Daniel hesitantly gave him the money, sad to see it go before pocketing the vial of potion, the swirling charcoal mist inside looking sinister and stomach churning.

 

Once Daniel had left the booth, Kenta finally spoke, chewing on his lip as he did so, “Maybe we should’ve told him that the potions only work on normal humans as well, if the possess even a little bit of magical ability he’ll be seen.”

  
“Oh be quiet Kenta, if he realises that, he’ll want a refund.” Eunki hit the smaller boy's arm playfully, watching Daniel’s shadow’s drift from the market as if they had never been there at all.

~~~

The Waste was not all that everyone made it out to be, after Daniel had received many warnings from travellers and farmers about the influx of wizards and the ragings of demons, Daniel had seen nothing. The emerald tones of the grass and the morning dew were all that greeted him in the morning, he had spent the night in a run down tavern, using some of his money to bunk down and then replenish himself in the morning, stocking up his food supplies before stumbling away.

 

He had encountered nothing but himself, the sky and the hills, rolling forwards and backwards and all around him. They were like the walls of a castle, grand and unchanging, the only differences found in the small follies of broken fences and tree stumps. Daniel sighed, his feet ached with every step and the sun was glaring at him intensely, as if threatening him that he would burn to ashes if he did not move along.

 

The path started to fade away until it blended into the plants beneath his shoes and Daniel groaned in annoyance, why couldn’t anything ever go right? He just wanted to find his way easily, not have to navigate, he didn’t even bring a compass with him! Sitting on a rock, Daniel’s face contorted into a frown, nose scrunching as he looked for a path that wasn’t the one he had travelled down. But to no such luck, it was as if he was doomed to sit here until another storm arrived. And one _would_ arrive. Aside from the comments about wizards and doom, the second storm of the past few days was soon to arrive, even worse than the last and with as much vigour to drown out the lowlands and the rivers. Daniel casted his eyes to the clouds, the darkness only just beginning to seep in among the whites and the cascading blueness of the sky.

 

He decided to make a move, it would be better to find shelter now, before it was too late and he had to discard another set of drenched clothes, he couldn’t risk that. Making his way through the endless valley, Daniel found himself lost in his thoughts once again, dropping further into his subconscious whilst seamlessly weaving through brambles and over brooks. He remembered Jisung’s dazed appearance as he had simply turned and left, with nothing to say but a simple goodbye and a wave of his hand. His mother would hear about the news soon enough and simply await for his return, she was an optimist, a dull moment never plagued her life and Daniel wished that he was like her.

 

There was a sudden sharp turn in the valley, causing Daniel to divert his route, upon lifting his gaze he spotted a hut, no bigger than his bedroom - and that was tiny - but he advanced towards it nonetheless. As if knowing his intentions, the sky began to darken, heavy bouts of thunder roaring and echoing around him, banging against his ear drums. He tried to run, but to no avail, the path was uneven and made Daniel cautious, he couldn’t afford an injury out here in the middle of nowhere.

 

Swinging the door open harshly, he practically collapsed into the hut, chest heaving dramatically as he slid down the stone wall beside him. His feet were cold and numb and tingling with the strange sensation of pins and needles which made Daniel pout in annoyance. _I swear if the roof leaks I’m officially giving up on life_ , Daniel thought to himself, the sarcastic tone in his head doing nothing to lighten his ever falling mood.

 

After minutes spent controlling his breathing, Daniel finally opened his eyes, expecting to see nothing more than a clutter of rubble and dust in the building, but the extraordinary always did happen at the strangest of times. He encountered a moving object in the corner, hidden away beneath a wooden beam, Daniel wouldn’t have seen or heard it if not for the faint sniffling and harsh cyan glow the object was emitting.

 

Edging closer, Daniel pulled at the beam and the figure let out a yelp, leading the boy to stiffen in fear.

 

“Hello? Is someone in there?” Daniel’s voice came out as no more than a whisper and he knelt down to observe what he was doing, trying not to hurt whatever was there.  
  
“Yes… Please don’t hurt me like he did.” The person’s voice was soft, almost floating in the air and had a dejected lilt that made Daniel’s heart break a bit. He nodded, even if the person could not see him do so and began to remove the pieces of wood until he managed to get a better view of their face. The blow glow Daniel had seen was indeed emitting from the figure, his skin shimmering and pale, with hair a deep sapphire. That’s when it occurred to Daniel what the person was. A demon.

 

Such creatures fed off the Waste, leeching the power from wizards and witches until nothing was left, maybe the one before Daniel was attempting to trap him, could it sense the vial of potion in his pocket? But the demon did not move towards him, instead it started to back away, shielding its face and sobbing.

 

“Please don’t be scared I won’t hurt you and I’m not a wizard either, I’m going to the capital city to visit the palace, the Waste was the only way I could travel there.” The boy looked up towards him, meeting Daniel’s eyes and nodding slowly, shoulders relaxing.

 

“That’s good, I thought you were working for him… My name is Donghyun I’m a water demon. But don’t worry, I won’t kill you, I’m trying not to be killed myself actually.” Donghyun spoke with such a light-hearted tone one would never have thought he meant a single word he said. Being hunted down and killed was not something Daniel would’ve thought to be particularly riveting, but he listened politely anyway.

 

“I’m Daniel, may I ask, who exactly is trying to kill you?”

  
  
“Youngmin, Im Youngmin. He’s a fire demon, as you know fire and water don’t mix and he’s determined to wipe me off the face of the earth.” Donghyun waved his arms about as he spoke and Daniel couldn’t help but chuckle at the boys actions. He rambled on about this Youngmin, who just so happened to have a contract with a wizard of which Donghyun didn’t know the name of. It appeared that due to this contract, Youngmin had been forced against his will not to kill Donghyun but the young boy was still very much stuck in the hut, unable to leave as he was scared of running into the fire demon on his journey.

 

The conversation must’ve taken no longer than thirty minutes but Daniel was enthralled, magic was interesting and unique. Every rule was made by the conjurer and had no boundaries except for your imagination. When Donghyun halted his speech, the storm had died down, the only remnants being the soaked grass and a few droplets on their hair.

 

“I best get going, it was amazing talking to you Donghyun, I hope we meet again. Maybe Youngmin will also have learned that killing your counterpart isn’t the answer.” He chuckled and waved to Donghyun, leaving the hut after giving him a slice of bread and cheese. Demons did not need to eat, it wasn’t necessary for them to live but Daniel wasn’t going to leave Donghyun without showing his gratitude. The water demon had been so kind after all.

 

Checking the sky, Daniel marked the time as somewhere in the late afternoon, around five he proposed to himself. He could set down a meal and eat, but Daniel knew that no good would come from idling around and instead thought that strolling for a few miles longer would be much more beneficial to the journey.

 

But storms in the Waste always brought more than was told. It was the joker in a deck of cards and tonight the dealing had shown to be in the favour of no one but the land itself.

 

A mist rolled in, high and mighty across the hills and curling around Daniel’s feet and wrists. It was strangely calming at first, until his vision became weaker and weaker and then he could see nothing but the grey. He hummed, a bright tune of days gone by, in an attempt to savour the mood from his talk with Donghyun, but nothing could be kept in such conditions. Daniel wasn’t even sure which way was up anymore.

 

Laboured breathing was all that filled the air, Daniel’s panting becoming evident as he started to panic. Was this it? Did the Waste want him to die, to fall unconscious and never be seen again. Maybe he could call to Donghyun? He might be able to hear him. But as he opened his mouth to try, no sound came out.

 

He fell to his knees in defeat, clutching onto his shirt as he practically doubled over, his vision was full of grey grey grey and he felt too dizzy to stand. He wanted to scream, punch the mist until it disappeared but his limbs were dead, his mind frantically trying to piece together what was happening.

 

But it was too late.

 

Daniel dropped to the ground, numb, alone, the faint sound of a screaming child echoing around him before the world went a pitch black.

  
~~~

_“Hey… I think he’s waking up! You should put the soup on the stove.”_

 

_“Oh shut up, everyone loves soup.”_

  
_  
“Except you... We know, now be quiet and make the damn soup! No I am not a kid and no that wasn’t a swear word, damn you Youngmin.”_

 

Thud.

 

Daniel tried to lift his head to observe the commotion but was met with the wood meeting his nose and he groaned quietly. The scattering of feet alerted him that he definitely wasn't alone, so where was he then? The last thing he remembered was falling into the mist, a harsh, high-pitched cry piercing his last moments.

 

He felt someone help him to sit up, their hands shaking and small and Daniel almost felt sorry for burdening them like this. He blinked several times, trying to figure out his surroundings and take note of what exactly was going on. But he couldn’t look further than his own nose before a face was mere centimetres away from his, bright blue eyes meeting his own dull brown ones.

 

“Hi I’m Daehwi!” The boys voice was loud and cheerful, Daniel’s face softening almost instantly and he nodded in reply, urging the boy to move so he could look around. He was in a small but cosy kitchen, the table already full of food waiting to be eaten, it was all foreign cuisine, something which Daniel didn’t recognise. Expecting to be bombarded with questions, he was surprised by Daehwi’s sudden silence as he instead peered at Daniel, as if waiting for him to say something, anything, in return.

 

“Oh, nice name, I’m Daniel.”

  
  
“I know that, your name was on your notepad. Yes, I’ve searched your belongings, it was mandatory practice, wouldn’t want anyone evil on board now, would we Youngmin?”

 

At the mention of the name, another boy, much taller and more mature looking that Daehwi, whipped his head round, nodding curtly before returning to the fire he was tending to. _Wait, Youngmin?_ Daniel swore he had heard the name before but didn’t think much of it, he was dazed as it was after everything that had happened.

 

Youngmin must’ve been at least as tall as Daniel, with a mop of fiery red hair shielding his gaze as he peered at the meat he was cooking. He didn’t appear talkative, unlike Daehwi who was currently mumbling to himself about something Daniel couldn’t decipher. The two of them seemed more like strangers than people who lived here together, wherever _here_ was exactly.

 

“Daehwi, where exactly am I?” The question came out harsher than Daniel had intended but the boy didn’t notice and just ran to the window, flinging open the shutters as a blast of cold air suddenly hit everyone, Youngmin groaning in disgust as his fire almost blew out.

 

“I don’t know, maybe around the northern borders? It’s too misty to tell right now.” Daehwi sounded defeated as he trudged over to his own seat and brought out a small leather bound book and began to read vigorously. Daniel thought for a moment, finding the whole situation simply strange and got up to take a look out the window himself.

 

The sight that befell him made Daniel gasp and stumble away from the window in shock, the whole place was moving, the room was going through the valley at a much faster speed than Daniel’s feet could ever take him. That was why he was so light headed after waking up, he hated moving around on vehicles. But why the heck was the place even moving at all?

 

“If you were wondering what’s going on you might want to sit down again, and close the window, I’m freezing.” Daehwi shivered and Daniel did as he was told, something about the young boy made him fond of his character. “We were travelling around the Waste yesterday evening and I was out on the deck, trying to sweep away some potion ingredients that were stuck between the floorboards. That’s when I spotted you, you basically fainted only a few hundred feet away from the me and so I screamed for Youngmin to stop. This here is a Moving Castle, there’s only a few in existence and Youngmin is the one that makes it move - he’s a fire demon.” Daehwi grinned but Daniel’s expression was far from one of excitement as he looked towards Youngmin with a pierced gaze. He was the demon Donghyun had warned him of, he’d have to find time to talk to him later.

 

“Anyway, as I was saying, we brought you on board and we’re now travelling north to our territory. It’s a small spot of the kingdom that we’ve claimed as our own and no one dares venture there except us. Do you fancy some beef stew?” Suddenly changing the topic had startled Daniel and he muttered a yes, still trying to comprehend everything Daehwi had told him about. This was more magic and excitement than Daniel had braced himself for but he was glad for the change in his life, happy that he was finally doing something other than feed cats and do homework.

 

Taking the bowl of stew, the three boys ate in almost silence, only the occasional small talk between the other two that Daniel sat with made up for the lack of noise. The stew was good, not as good as Jisung’s but it would do, the navy’s food was bound to be worse. He was about to finish when the padding of footsteps alerted the three of them as they turned towards the staircase, heads up like meerkats.

 

“Guys I thought I told you to wake me up when- Who is that?!” The booming of the man’s voice made Daniel flinch with unease, he could practically feel the shock dripping from his tone. It took several seconds before anyone made a move on Daniel’s behalf, Daehwi rushing forward to explain the situation.

 

“Well Seongwoo, this is Daniel, we found him lost in the Waste, he got caught in the mist…” Daehwi mumbled, his face turning aside as he refused to look at the man Daniel now knew as Seongwoo. He himself towered above Daehwi, his aura was powerful but he had an edge of vulnerability about him, as if he couldn’t quite hold onto the attention of everyone and was afraid of such a thing. Seongwoo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he did so and went to sit down next to Daniel, far too close to be formal, but too far away to be cosy.

 

“Daehwi this is the forth time you’ve brought someone into the castle, I thought I told you to stop?” A shy chuckle was the only thing Daehwi returned with as he began to hastily clear away the bowls and cutlery, as if knowing that this was his punishment and he might as well get it done with.

 

“I can leave if you don’t want me here.” Daniel muttered and looked towards Seongwoo who instantly shook his head, a bright, mischievous looking grin adorning his face.

 

“No you can’t leave, you look strong enough and we need someone to mend the castle, the legs are growing tired and the framework is crumbling around us.” As if to emphasise his point, a brick suddenly cascaded from the wall and would’ve bounced into Youngmin’s foot had he not moved out the way in time. Daniel scoffed because him and mending things was something that didn’t go very well together, he had once attempted to fix Jisung’s sink and ended up bursting the water pipe and drenching himself and the rest of the kitchen.

 

“I’ll try my best.” He stuttered over his words in reply, fumbling with his hands as he felt Seongwoo’s gaze land on him again, eyes burning holes into the top of his bowing head. At once, Daehwi returned from cleaning and dragged Daniel to his feet, speaking at such a speed that he could only capture the words ‘room’, ‘show’ and ‘clothes’. Having no clue as to what was to follow, he let the smaller boy take him up the stairs Seongwoo had first appeared from, leaving the dark haired wizard to his own devices once again.

 

“Kang Daniel.” Seongwoo had whispered once the boy was out of ear shot, “Just what exactly are you doing here?”

  
~~~

With the day floating by quickly, Daniel had soon settled in to the castle. His room was quaint and box like, the small, glass stained, window being the only source of light, flooding the walls and floor with a mixture of yellow and amber tones. The bed was comfortable enough and Daehwi had basically thrown a mountain of blankets at Daniel to stop him from complaining. Everywhere that he moved in the castle seemed to reveal something new, each room had a different scent for starters, his smelt of lavender and jasmine whereas Daehwi’s had hints of rose and thyme. Each window had a view incomparable to the others and every flower and plant that adorned the small patches of greenery were well tended to and flooding with life. It was as if Daniel had stepped away from Porthaven even further, the castle being everything he’d dreamed of having in life.

 

By now it was late afternoon and a chilling breeze had begun to weave around Daniel’s ankles, _the draft from the cracks between doors_ , he supposed. Making his way downstairs, Daniel went to find Youngmin, he had rehearsed at least a dozen times what to say to the boy but found himself nervous all the same.

 

The kitchen was even brighter than he remembered, the fire still burning but all the mess of lunch had been cleared and the table was now spotlessly clean. Daniel maneuvered around the room, looking nervously before his eyes landed on the fire demon, sat in the arch of the window and peering out onto the moors without so much as sparing Daniel a glance. He inhaled sharply before striding over, tapping on Youngmin’s shoulder only to find it scorching hot and he whipped his hand away and stuffed it inside his pocket.

 

“Sorry! Oh my gosh, I didn’t realise you were there.” These were the first words Daniel had heard Youngmin speak and safe to say, he wasn’t expecting Youngmin to be so concerned. The boy’s voice was deep and he carried on mumbling apologies whilst rushing to get Daniel a cup of cold water to place his hand in. Following, he stole several glances at Youngmin, trying to work out what to say next.

 

“I’m fine, I was just wondering about something. Do you happen to know Donghyun? He’s a water demon.”

  
  
“Of course I know him, we hate each other.” Youngmin deadpanned, mouth drawn into a straight line as he huffed and flopped onto a chair, folding his arms as his eyes grew a deeper red than Daniel thought possible. Youngmin however, held a facial expression that made Daniel wonder whether he actually meant what he said, his eyes were furrowed as if he was questioning his own statement.

 

“Well, Donghyun met me on the way here and he’s terrified of you-” Daniel would’ve gone further, told Youngmin everything about what had happened and his own opinion on what should happen next when Seongwoo practically fell through the door on Daniel’s right, collapsing on the sofa as he stumbled in.

 

The wizard had left earlier to do a job, Daniel had pressed Daehwi for answers on where exactly he was going but the young boy wouldn’t explain, simply saying it was Seongwoo’s business and that no one should pry into it. So in the moment, Daniel could not help but go to Seongwoo, asking him if he was alright and if he needed anything.

 

“I’m fine, just let me sleep for three years and we’ll all be okay.” Seongwoo muttered, out of breath and his eyes half closed, small beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. Daniel would’ve been disgusted had he not been worried for the guys safety. Ignoring Seongwoo’s protests, he got up and started to prepare some tea, Youngmin wordlessly following and helping Daniel out where he could. The two of them eventually made something that resembled a green tea and passed it to Seongwoo hesitantly, the wizard drinking it and pulling his face back in disgust. Okay, so maybe cooking wasn’t Daniel’s forte then.

 

Both he and Youngmin sighed, the latter retreating to his room leaving Daniel with Seongwoo’s unsatisfied self.

 

“I think I understand now Kang Daniel, why you’re here, what you’re going to do.” That made Daniel’s breath hitch as his heart got stuck in his throat, what on earth was Seongwoo talking about? The reason he was here was because Daehwi brought him in, there was nothing more to it than that. But since meeting them, Daniel had learned that wizards always seemed to have a complex explanation for a simple complex.

 

“Ever since Youngmin walked through that door six years ago, he hasn’t said a lot, barely anything in fact… The reason I came back in so fast was because I heard him, you were talking, he was talking, right?” Daniel nodded quickly, urging Seongwoo to continue. “You’re here to cure all our curses! Youngmin is isolated, he can’t talk to people for some reason, I don’t know what you did but it was right. Now you just need to fix me and Daehwi!” Seongwoo was clapping his hands by the end, all traces of tiredness fleeting until he was just a bubble of excitement. Daniel could do nothing but stare with wide eyes, he was just a normal human, he didn’t mean anything really. It was just pure luck that Youngmin had talked to him.

 

“You see, Daehwi was sadly cursed by a stupid wizard, whilst he was in this very room. Unfortunately, Daehwi cannot leave the castle, he’s bound here by a spell. My curse is nothing much, I can’t see the moon, ever since I was hurt on a beach many years ago, it was an act of revenge I think, although I can’t see what for. I was seven at the time, what bad can a seven year old do?” Seongwoo laughed sadly, scratching the back of his head in an awkward fashion and Daniel suddenly felt bad to him. All three of them were cursed, they were all - against their will - trapped and prohibited from doing something they wanted or seeing something everyone else could see. It was a gloomy prospect and, without realising at first, Daniel had somehow pulled Seongwoo into his arms, holding him tightly.

 

The hug was ordinary, but of course it was also embarrassing, they were two guys, what was Daniel thinking? He pulled away after a few seconds of awkward back patting, excusing himself to leave the room, avoiding what was probably a look of utter disgrace from Seongwoo.

 

But what he didn’t see was the satisfied smile as Seongwoo watched Daniel scurry away, maybe now that everything was starting to go right, the moon would start to shine again. Never before had he believed in hoping and wishing, but maybe that was what he needed to do, because miracles always seemed to happen when he started believing.

  
~~~

_4 Days Until Enlistment_

 

Daniel had never woken up with the sun on his face and the smell of cooking around him, he had always made his own breakfast and eaten by himself, his cats scratching at his feet to have a nibble of toast or a crumb of cereal. But today, he found himself grinning as he hopped out of bed, sighing happily whilst waltzing to the bathroom. Youngmin had lent Daniel some of his clothes after he’d run out of spares yesterday evening, and left him with a simple pair of loose pants and a dark blue sweater which was a tad too long in the arms.

 

He rushed down to find Daehwi singing a bad rendition of the national anthem, he was probably a good singer but seven in the morning was no time to be belting a high note and his voice cracked as Youngmin glared at him from over his morning coffee.

 

“Hey Daniel, I hope you like omelettes because egg is pretty much the only food we have until Seongwoo gets back from… Wherever he ran off to last night.” Daehwi just shrugs and grins, still singing, but much quieter this time to save Youngmin’s ears and also his fists from throwing a punch at the younger.

 

But aside from them, Daniel felt dejected, he knew the hug was a wrong move if Seongwoo had left straight after. He’d messed everything up hadn’t he? Daniel realised that the wizard must’ve obviously found the token of affection weird and unsettling and inwardly decided to give Seongwoo space, he deserved it after putting up with Daniel’s strange antics.

 

The morning was peaceful - almost serene - after their light hearted breakfast. Daniel had learned that Daehwi was in fact part fairy, as shown when he’d tried to take a book off the top shelf for the boy but Daehwi had simply flown up there to get it himself. Daniel was left dumbstruck but also mildly impressed as he nodded and smiled to himself, walking off with a book of his own. Seongwoo did not return that morning either, the castle was instead filled with Youngmin’s voice, reading aloud a letter he was attempting to write, though Daniel had no clue who it was addressed to and what the contents was. He was simply happy that Youngmin was talking, even if to himself.

 

Maybe all this talk of Daniel curing curses was true, just maybe.

  
~~~

_3 Days Until Enlistment_

 

It was a softly radiant afternoon when the castle finally stopped moving, Seongwoo had finished his galavanting and had joined them for a casual lunch earlier in the day. Daniel had noted his light hearted tone, especially towards himself, which had surprised him greatly, considering what Daniel had done only a matter of days ago.

 

“Daniel could you help me clean the bathroom? Seongwoo made a mess.” Daehwi’s pitiful voice made Daniel chuckle but the sight of the smaller made him roar with laughter. His hands were covered in deep brown hair dye, with stains on his shirt and face too, his hair was sticking up at odd angles and he was giving Daniel puppy eyes that no one could resist, his lips jutting into a pout.

 

“Fine I’ll help, but just so you know, it looks like a horse shat on you.” The language made Daehwi gasp sarcastically and he saw Youngmin grin out the corner of his eye. It was then that made Daniel’s heart swell, everyone loved him so much. Platonically of course, but love like that couldn’t be replaced and Daniel loved every one of them in return. Daehwi for his mischief and hilarious antics, Youngmin for his reserved stature but also fatherly tendencies to even Seongwoo and Seongwoo himself, although rarely gracing them with his presence was beautiful, in more ways than just one.

 

Daniel followed Daehwi up the stairs, two at a time and opened the bathroom door whilst trying to stop himself from bursting out laughing again, he had to remain calm or he might as well choke on his own laughter. The bathroom looked like a rainbow explosion, all of the bath salts and lotions splayed across the room as if part of an art exhibition that only Seongwoo knew the meaning of.

 

“This is why we never let him use the shared bathroom, or clean the bathroom at all. He likes his own… Order.”

 

“Can you even call this order?” He scoffed and shook his head, moving past Daehwi to begin the clean up mission, grabbing some towels to place all the mess in and throw it out later. During their work, Daniel found himself opening up to Daehwi, revealing his life from before and talking about his cats, Jisung and his future navy enlistment. In return, Daehwi told him about what he had experienced, about how before being cursed he lived in the capital and was friends with a boy named Woojin, they were even dating for a while and Daehwi had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time and hadn't seen him since. Seongwoo had promised the boy that he’d return home - to Woojin - after his curse was broken, _if_ his curse was broken.

 

“Tell me Daniel…” Daehwi’s voice had cut off the comfortable silence they’d been holding for a few minutes, throwing away the last of the lotion bottles Seongwoo had emptied. “What do you think about Seongwoo?” Daniel whipped his head round, looking at Daehwi confusedly, he hadn’t really given Seongwoo a second thought since the hug.

 

“Because he’s taken a real liking to you, I can see it in the way he watched you like he’s watching the whole world. For contrast, he watches me as if I’m a kid that needs constant protection. I’ve seen many people come and go in this castle, but no one has stayed longer than a mere few hours and Seongwoo has certainly never let any of them stay here. You’re different Kang Daniel, no matter how I look at the situation, you’ve really caught Seongwoo’s eye.” Without even giving him a chance to answer the original question, Daehwi rose to his feet and left Daniel alone, his thoughts wandering from confused and conflicted, to full elatedness at the sheer notion of Seongwoo seeing something in him. It made him feel at ease for the rest of the day, something Daniel wished to experience all the time.

 

When Seongwoo had called on him later, asking him to join them for a cake Daehwi had made, Daniel had only nodded. But deeply, he had felt his heart race, his ears probably going red at the tips. What had come over him? Daniel didn’t know whether he wanted an answer.

  
~~~

_2 Days Until Enlistment_

 

“Daehwi, trust me, just try walking outside…” Daniel’s voice was calm and collected as he held onto the youngers hand. They were stationed on the far northern mountains of the Waste, next to a great lake - the name of it escaping Daniel - and he was trying to convince the boy to at least try and overcome his curse. He didn’t know what this would prove, but it was worth a shot. Walking once again to the main doorway that led out to the lake, Daehwi stopped in his tracks, trying to convince Daniel to turn back.

 

“What if I hurt myself? What if the door throws me back and we all die?”

  
“Come on now Daehwi that’s just being ridiculous, if anyone is dying today, it’s Seongwoo when he swims too far out and drowns in the lake.” Everyone laughs at Youngmin’s sudden comment, except for Seongwoo who simply flicks his forehead before running towards the lake like a child. It was a rare day, Youngmin had pointed out, a day when they could all spend time together, like a family - Daehwi had said this to groans of disapproval of how cheesy he was, but secretly everyone agreed.

 

By the time both Youngmin and Seongwoo were already in the water, Daniel was still trying to convince Daehwi to join them.

 

“Look Daehwi, when I first arrived here - which wasn’t that long ago - you made me feel so welcome and you helped me a lot, now it’s my turn to help you. Maybe, the curse is already broken? There’s only a few ways a curse can be broken right? Either a true love's kiss, the giver of the curse passing away or the curses time frame disappearing. Maybe the curse was only set for a year? Maybe it’s ended? Please try Daehwi. If not for me, then try for Woojin.” The boy sighed and nodded, walking down the steps to the door with his head hung low, Daniel still urging him on.

 

“If this doesn’t work, I’m never making you cake again ‘Niel, and don’t say you didn’t like it because I saw you go back for another helping before I went to bed.” Daehwi mumbled and whined but all Daniel could think about was getting Daehwi out the door, growing impatient, he ended up dragging the smaller. At first he didn’t think it would work, Daehwi almost slowing to a halt as he got pushed away by some unseen force, but Daniel kept tugging on his arm, the pair of them suddenly flying onto the grass, Daniel being the only one screaming in the process.

 

After the initial shock of their haphazard plan actually working, Daehwi was the first one to scramble to his feet, rushing to help Daniel up as well, squealing and rambling endless thank yous to the air as he clapped his hands together.

 

“It’s gone oh my god the curse is gone and I’m free!” Everyone cheered and Daniel swore that Youngmin whooped but the boy was too far away and Daniel was still a bit dazed from the collision he just had with the grass.

 

He didn’t notice that Seongwoo was also in a daze, his suspicions of Daniel now being confirmed correct, he really was breaking the curses. Now, he only had Seongwoo’s curse to break and that was the hardest one of all.

  
~~~

_1 Day Until Enlistment_

 

By now, Daniel had become agitated, the world having been turned upon it’s head only days before, but now he needed to go. No matter how much the three of them had done for him, Daniel had to leave them, with a heavy heart he had to join the navy and sail out to sea.

 

It was the peak of dawn, endless streams of colour filtering through every crack of the castle and Daniel wished he didn’t have to open his eyes. After the events of yesterday, he felt like a part of their family and he cared for them as such, but he knew there was one person he would miss more than the rest and the memories of the small moments they shared would remain with Daniel forever.

 

_“Seongwoo could I ask you something?” Daniel’s voice was shallow and he casted his eyes to the floor, not quite believing he was doing this, where had this courage come from?_

  
  
_“Sure, go ahead.” The tone was light hearted as always and Seongwoo beamed at him with that signature smile Daniel would never get tired of. Everything about Seongwoo was ethereal, the way he presented himself was unlike any other person Daniel could name. He stood so tall but was really a kid at heart, over the last few days Daniel had learnt about everything Seongwoo had been through. How he had stole the castle from a junkyard and made it his home, Daniel had found that cheesy, yet touching. His favourite story however was simply Seongwoo's want for love, he'd been a heartthrob until he became a wanted man, some of the royal advisers deeming him a dangerous wizard. You could definitely be dangerous, Daniel had commented, but inside he knew that meant dangerous to his feelings._

_“I was wondering… If you liked me?”  stuttered at Daniel's straightforwardness, mouth gaping open._

 

_“Well of course I like you 'Niel, what's not to like, you're a very likeable person.”_

 

_“I don't mean it like that and you know it.” Daniel deadpanned and glared at Seongwoo, his agitation settling in, causing his skin to feel prickly and goosebumps to rise on his arms. He didn't know when these feelings had found their way into him, but he was sure they were there from the moment he'd first seen Seongwoo. Love, was what he had come to call it, that strange, unpredictable, emotion that Daniel had indulged himself in over the last few days._

 

_His heart would leap at the sight of Seongwoo, skip a beat when he spoke and at the smallest gesture he could feel himself smile and heat up dramatically. Was it a crush or a genuine feeling? For now Daniel couldn't tell. But what he did know was that he wanted Seongwoo, as more than the brother he was for Daehwi and the companion he was for Youngmin. Daniel wanted to be more than just a friend for Seongwoo._

 

_“Yeah, I do know what you mean… But it's a question I can't answer yet. It takes time to answer questions like that. Goodnight Daniel.” And with that, he left, leaving Daniel to sleep and to dream of a world where the taking time was over, and he would finally know the answer to his question._

 

_He hoped that Seongwoo would say yes._

 

But by that sunny morning the answer never came, granted the time had not been long and he had not seen Seongwoo, but he needed to go. Taking out the vial of invisibility potion, Daniel slipped it into his tea, he could now make the drink perfectly thanks to Daehwi, and drunk it in one swift motion. Before he could help it, his grip on the cup loosened and it smashed against the floorboards loudly so Daniel ran, picking up his backpack - on contact, it became invisible too - and escaping through the front door.

 

Had he been a second slower, three sets of eyes would've seen the backpack disappear from sight and one of them would've seen a figure, sprinting across the moors.

  
~~~

_-1 Days Until Enlistment_

 

Daniel had been running, he had gone on for so long. Was he still in the same Kingdom anymore? Was he ever going to see another human with his own two eyes again? All he could think was Seongwoo Seongwoo Seongwoo, an endless mantra taking him over and pulling him into trap after trap. He'd almost fallen off high cliffs and stepped into quicksand, he tried to be cautious but his lovesick, hunger driven thoughts swayed him.

 

He was ill and weak and everything felt so wrong. Why had he run away again?

 

Sitting down to rest against a boulder, Daniel made a note of his surroundings. The mountain range bore no colour this time, only harsh greys and muted whites, the colour of isolation, Daniel mused to himself. The Waste really did live up to its name here, a vast land of nothingness, of the simple, barren earth that no one would wish to step in alone. And yet, Daniel had done just that.

 

It must've been late morning, for the sun was getting higher and higher, even with the cold temperatures, he could feel himself melting under its deadly force. He wanted Seongwoo. No. Right now he needed Seongwoo, he needed him - or anyone - to save him. Hell, even Daehwi could save him.

 

Just as he was about to doze, to sleep off the bright sun, a strange, futuristic noise zipped and echoed into the mountains. Daniel pressed his back flush against the boulder, wondering if the sound belonged to friend or foe, or whether, he had gone insane and was now hallucinating. That was definitely possible in his current state. The noise died away and was replaced with the scratching of something against the pebbled path, possibly shoes. Peeping his head from the rock he saw the silhouette of a figure, standing straight and resolute, surveying the area. Their hair was dark, Daniel's heart lurching because Seongwoo's hair was the same, but no, it wasn't him. This person had hair covering their face and they carried a rapier, gripping it's handle tightly.

 

Daniel decided to make himself known, maybe this person could help? The positives far exceeded the negatives he could think of.

 

“Hello, who are you?” The question rolled off Daniel's tongue with a sickening crack on his voice, he hadn't talked for days. The man turned to face him, a scowl suddenly replaced with a smirk.

 

“I'm Hwang Minhyun, and you Kang Daniel are late.” The realisation hit a second to late as Daniel felt a sudden punch to his gut, doubling over into Minhyun's chest as the whole world turned to black around him.

 

He'd fainted, but this time, Daehwi's screams had been replaced with his own.

  
~~~

_Hwang Minhyun._

 

Now that was a name Seongwoo hadn't heard for years.

 

Since Daniel's disappearance, the three left on board had searched everywhere, but he was well and truly gone, like a fire, stamped out and extinguished for good - Youngmin hadn't liked that metaphor.

 

They'd called on the help of others, Daehwi had gone to Woojin to ask him to search the capital, whereas Youngmin and Donghyun had made up and the latter began searching the smaller towns. It wasn't much of a search party but it would have to do.

 

It had dawned on them at breakfast of the second day after Daniel went missing. He'd told them all many a times, he was to join the navy. That was the victory moment, they had to stop him before he got on the that boat. Well, Seongwoo had volunteered for that job, Daehwi and Youngmin had been downgraded to spectators. When rifling through every book on the navy that he owned, Minhyun's name had appeared so many times. Always talking about him as a war hero who had then become a royal advisor. All Seongwoo could remember was that he was a fraud. He'd never seen the war, he'd spent his years perfecting his magic - in thought manipulation. No wonder they spoke about him so greatly, they acted as if he was god because Minhyun had simply told them he was. It was insane, an abuse of magic Daehwi had mumbled one day, everyone silently agreed.

 

Now they had to find him, stop him from taking Daniel away, who knows what terrible things he could do to the poor boy. Seongwoo shuddered at the thought, his friend was in danger and he was going to save him. And if they couldn't get to Minhyun then Minhyun would have to come to them.

  
~~~

When the sea gave way to the rolling of sand and earth, two men walked, neither were alone, but both were desperate. One for escape and one for glory.

 

“Why are we here?” Daniel had groaned and muttered when he had woken up, clutching his stomach as Minhyun had dragged him along the beach.

 

“For revenge, now shut up you bastard and keep walking.” Daniel was obedient and did as he was told, Minhyun's tone scaring him more than he wanted to admit. Everything was so confusing, he didn't want to be here, he didn't want to be dragged into Minhyun's stupid plans. He wanted Seongwoo and the Moving Castle and Daehwi's bad singing and Youngmin's awkward laughter. He wanted to go home.

 

“Please let me go Minhyun… I don't understand what’s going on.”

 

“Stand there and don't move.” Minhyun was fed up, ignoring Daniel's pleas and simply doing what he needed to. He left Daniel to stand up by himself, watching the boy wobble and sway with the tide.

 

“But Min-”

 

“Shut up! Now, let's recreate a story.” His tone was conflicted, his shout turning to a soft but evil whisper. Daniel simply nodded and gulped, not wanting to face a consequence.

 

“Many years ago there lived a young boy, this boy was a magician - although his powers were still weak and unused just yet. You, Daniel, are that boy.” If Daniel hadn't been utterly terrified, Minhyun would've sounded like a school teacher, settling children down with a story.

 

“I on the other hand, am also a magician, but I am several years older and wiser than you. I've perfected my craft of dark magic and I wish to test it on someone. You, Daniel seem like a good target, no one will suspect a thing if you die, you're playing by the beach after all, maybe you got stung by a beached jellyfish? The possibilities are endless.” The chuckle that left Minhyun's lips made Daniel whimper, chewing on his lip and trying to look for a way out, but Minhyun's eyes kept meeting his own.

 

“Don't move, I haven't finished yet. So the dark magician decides to visit the boy at the beach and whilst he is playing with his friends, the magician behind to cast a spell, one that will not only curse but will kill.” By now Daniel's heartbeat was roaring in his ears, screaming at him to run until his body collapsed and Minhyun was left far, far away.

 

He hadn't even noticed the black smoke that Minhyun began to produce from his hands as he carried on the story.

 

“The first time this tale was told, the spell didn't work and instead cause nothing but a simple curse, an inability to see the moon. But this time, the story will be finished and the young magician will die.”

 

Minhyun finished, his voice fading across the waves as the black smoke grew thicker. Daniel tried to run, tried so hard to will his legs to move. But they couldn't, they were stuck and so was he. The smirk curving on Minhyun's lips screaming the word he had kept uttering this whole time, _revenge_.

 

Then, everything happened in slow motion. The smoke left Minhyun's hands, travelling towards Daniel at top speed, forming an arrow aimed straight for his heart. The boy shut his eyes, preparing for the impact as he silently prayed to whatever was up there that he would be alright. And, it seemed that his prayers were answered, because the impact never came.

 

A body, opening his eyes and looking down,that was all Daniel could see. His face was looking up at the sky, eyes matching the brown of his hair, that beautiful smile tugging on his lips.

 

“I can see it Daniel, I can see the moon.”

 

Daniel sunk to his knees, screaming and cursing at Minhyun, who only ran away from the scene.

 

“Seongwoo why the hell would you do that?!” Daniel's voice broke as he cried,tears cascading onto Seongwoo's face.

 

“Because… I'm a hopeless romantic…” The boys voice grew weaker as he reached up to brush Daniel's hair away from his eyes. Daniel grew frantic, his friend, his lover was dying in front of him, he had to do something.

 

“I'm…”

 

“What, what is it Seongwoo?”

 

“I'm also a really good actor!”

 

“What?!”

  
~~~

As it would turn out, the spell Minhyun had casted, had once again failed. The sacrifice Seongwoo had made cancelling out any deadly side to it, causing him to be free of his curse. Daniel had fallen into a state of shock for hours after, giving Seongwoo the silent treatment because why would he just pretend to die, I was being emotional?! - His complaints were very well received by Daehwi, who was sure to gossip about everything for days on end.

 

The event on the beach was now a week behind them, Daniel's navy enlistment long forgotten. Instead he spent the time getting to know the boy he had fallen hopelessly in love with. After all, he had longed for adventure and love - as cheesy as it sounded - was the biggest one of all.

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanna thank you all again if you made it this far, this is my first time writing something this big and it was about my favourite movie and book series so I want to thank the person who sent in the prompt ^^


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